


Trials

by Burgie



Category: Star Stable
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 20:53:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7729339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aideen and the Soul Riders wait for their suitors in the fairy cycle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trials

Aideen was different every time she appeared. Sometimes, the Moon wondered if the original Aideen had actually ridden majestically over the bay. It seemed more likely that she’d been screaming half the time, which someone would after crashing to earth in a blazing star. But when she was asked, Aideen just smiled coyly. Sometimes she followed it up with a kiss, depending on her mood or the cycle that they were in.

This Aideen, though, was even more different than the last. That was probably due in large part to her being a fairy queen this time around. She was the queen of the Seelie court, but she held her court in the Secret Stonering. Fripp didn’t mind, after all the Seelie were supposedly good. Or at least had some sense of morality. Aideen had also taken it upon herself to improve the love lives of her Soul Riders.

“You have failed my trials. This is the red feather of a rooster, not a magical phoenix feather,” said Aideen, scowling at the feather held between her fingers. She then directed that scowl at her suitor, who stumbled back a step and then ran away. Aideen sighed and rested her chin on her fist, which was propped up on her stone throne.

“Perhaps you shouldn’t have made your tasks quite so difficult,” said the Star. Her suitor was an alchemist girl from the village. She’d been tasked with creating an elixir of life, one which could restore health to something on the brink of death. The wording had been her saving grace, she’d only had to restore life to a plant. And yet she’d brought a bird back from the brink. Star had wanted to task someone to create an elixir to restore life to the dead, but that would be verging on Unseelie territory.

“My tasks aren’t difficult,” said Aideen. “I don’t have my suitor walking through fire and ice or standing in a tornado.”

“And yet here I am,” said Katja from her spot in the Lightning’s lap. Lightning was of the Unseelie court, formerly a member of the Wild Hunt before she’d realised her destiny.

“Yes, here you are,” said Lightning. She pressed her lips to Katja’s forehead. “I am glad that we didn’t restrict our suitors to only mortals.”

“That would have been too restrictive,” said Aideen. She looked up at the sound of a horse’s hooves clopping on the stone. “Moon, you have a suitor.”

“Oh, good. I really shouldn’t have included finding my horse in the tasks,” said Moon. She put away her scrying water and sat up straight to greet her suitor.

The person who rode forward on the back of Moon’s Soul Steed was a fairy youth. His wings and skin were both tinged green, and a shock of ginger-brown hair brought a smile to Moon’s face.

“He is handsome and gentle,” said her Soul Steed. The youth dismounted to bow in front of Moon.

“My horse approves of you,” said Moon. “Did you bring my other tasks?”

“Yes,” said the youth. He brought forth the items. “A book of the hidden and forgotten legends of Jorvik, including the unedited family trees, and a mystical stone of scrying.”

“You have completed the tasks well,” said Moon, paging through the book. “Therefore, you may court me.”

“Thank you,” said the youth. Moon smiled at him as he sat at her feet. On her arm, the magical writing that predicted the phases of the moon morphed into little heart shapes.

All Sun wanted was gold. Gold, and gems, and precious artefacts. But her want for specifics prevented many from fulfilling her tasks. Star often joked that Sun was part goblin or dragon despite her dazzling good looks. Sun had once set her on fire in retaliation.

“If you wanted a princess, you could have just asked,” said Star. A shawl glittering with stars was draped over her shoulders, a gift from her suitor. In contrast, Sun’s hair shone as bright as the sun and flickered with golden flames. But it looked like spun gold when she glamoured it.

“If a princess completes my tasks, I will choose her for a suitor,” said Sun.

 _“And what if a dragon were to complete your tasks?”_ asked Sun’s Soul Steed. He whinnied as a shadow appeared over the Stonering, and then jeweled claws touched down. Sun’s eyes widened as she took in the sight of her suitor’s brilliant gold scales. But then the dragon turned to Aideen and lowered its head.

“Mistress,” the dragon rumbled, “I bring you your desires.” A small bag dropped from the dragon’s maw, and Aideen caught it before it could fall. She brought the items out one by one and looked at them, naming them with help from the alchemist.

“Feather of a phoenix. Hair of a griffin. Shavings from a unicorn’s horn. Moon flower petal. Fire lily. Stardust. Hair of bigfoot. Moon rocks. A feather from a Pegasus. Fairy dust.” Aideen finally looked up with a smile. “You are dedicated, dragon. But can a goddess really court a dragon?”

“I don’t know. Can you?” asked the dragon.

“I could,” said Aideen. “You have passed the trial, dragon. You may court me.”

“Dragon,” said Sun, “do you have any friends who might know where to procure a certain few items for me?”

“Many a dragon wishes to complete your tasks, Soul Rider,” said the dragon. “As do knights. Many dragons have been slain in their quests to claim your gold.”

“How unfortunate,” said Sun. It was easy, sometimes, to forget that she was of the Unseelie court. But the Sun, like her celestial counterpart, could be cruel.

While the rest of the Soul Riders cuddled up with their suitors, the Sun was left alone. Perhaps she was doomed to never find a suitor. But maybe that was for the best. But if Lightning could find love, when she had the power to call forth storms and could harness lightning from her fingertips, then surely it should not be so hard for Sun to find it. Maybe she was just looking in the wrong places- after all, there was still one single General. But Sun did not want her.

And then the day came when a princess rode up to the Stonering. Sun’s Pegasus mount bowed at the sight of her. Light materials covered the girl’s skin, and the saddlebags of her mount jingled with gold and gems. She dismounted and knelt at Sun’s feet with a crown held up to her. Though the girl tasted sandy when Sun kissed her, the Sun did not mind. She had finally found her suitor.


End file.
